This Sour Cream Pound Cake starts with a classic base, featuring a tangy, sweet, soft cake with a smooth center and golden crust. Then, I take it up a notch with a sweet homemade strawberry compote. Easy to make, it’s perfect for spring, summer, or any time you need a showstopping dessert!
Not Your Grandma’s Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe
You’ve probably had pound cake, but I’ve bet you’ve never had it like this before! In fact, if you think the dessert is bland, boring, or dry, my version will make you think again. This cake was a staple at every summer gathering growing up and is still one of my favorite recipes to this day.
The use of sour cream creates a delicious tangy flavor while keeping the center of the cake soft helping to achieve a beautiful golden crust. It’s incredible on its own and even better with a version of my sweet strawberry sauce compote. Vibrant and delicious, this dessert is the perfect way to welcome spring!
More Strawberry-Flavored Desserts
- The Best Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
- Strawberry Crisp Cheesecake
- Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
- Homemade Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Recipe Ingredients
Sour Cream Pound Cake
Cake Flour: Forms the base of the cake batter, keeping it light and soft. If preferred, regular all-purpose flour or a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour like King Arthur or a cup 4 cup gluten-free flour will work. The cake crumb will just be a bit denser.
Baking Soda: A leavening agent that helps the cake rise and become light and fluffy.
Salt: Balances the sweetness of the sugar and elevates the flavor of the sour cream and extracts.
Unsalted Butter: Adds moisture and a rich flavor.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake batter, balancing some of the tanginess of the sour cream.
Sour Cream: The fat adds richness and creates a softer, tender texture while infusing the cake with a delicious tangy taste.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds a warm, sweet flavor that enhances and balances the other ingredients in the cake.
Almond Extract: This adds a subtle nutty taste for extra depth.
Eggs: Eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness, helping to bind the ingredients and create a tender crumb.
Lemon Zest: This is optional but highly recommended as it contributes to the tender texture and adds a bright, citrusy taste that balances some of the richness of the cake.
Strawberry Compote
Strawberries: I prefer to use fresh strawberries for a stronger fruity flavor, but frozen strawberries also work.
Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar dissolves seamlessly into the sauce, enhancing the natural sweetness of the strawberries. Feel free to add more than the recipe calls for if you have a strong sweet tooth like me.
Lemon Zest and Juice: The acidity helps balance some of the sweetness of the sugar. It also activates pectin in the berries, which helps the mixture thicken and firm up a bit so it doesn’t run all over the place.
Vanilla Extract: This adds extra depth, infusing the compote with a delicious vanilla flavor.
How to Make a Recipe for Sour Cream Pound Cake with Strawberry Compote
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Then, lightly grease a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray and dust it evenly with flour. Set aside.
Step 2. In a large bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.
Step 3. Next, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed for about 3-5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Step 4. Mix in the sour cream at low speed until it is combined. Tip. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure the ingredients are well incorporated! Stir in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and almond extract.
Step 5. In a separate bowl, whisk the 6 large eggs until smooth.
Step 6. Add the sifted dry ingredients and eggs to the wet mixture, working alternately. Mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the batter is light and whipped. Again, be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed!
Step 7. Spoon the cake batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan and gently tap it on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
Step 8. Bake on the middle rack for 1 hour and 10-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Step 9. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 2 minutes. Then, carefully transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 10 (Optional). While the cake cools, prepare the strawberry compote. To do so, place the quartered strawberries in a medium saucepan and heat to medium. Next, add the sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the sides of the pan with a rubber spatula, for about 10-15 minutes or until the compote juice just coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and set the compote aside to cool.
Step 11. Slice your completely cooled sour cream pound cake, and serve with fresh berries, compote, and whipping cream. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Use High-Quality Ingredients: Because sour cream pound cake is fairly simple, you’ll notice a big difference in the taste and texture if you opt for low-fat items or imitation flavors.
- Avoid Overbaking: Every oven is different. So, after you get to the 1 hour and 5-minute mark, start testing for doneness. If you are using a thermometer to check doneness, the internal temperature of the cake should read 210F. If you overbake, your cake will turn out dry.
- Don’t Cool in the Pan Too Long: You don’t want the cake to sit too long in the cooking pan as it will get soggy and the crispy outer shell will be ruined. About 2 minutes is all you need before transferring it to a cooling rack.
- Allow the Cake to Cool Completley: If you slice too early, it’s likely to fall apart. It may take several hours, but trust me. It’s worth the wait!
Helpful Kitchen Tools to Make this Pound Cake
- Cake Pans: you’ll need two or three 9-inch cake pans, depending on how many layers you want to make your cake.
- Mixing Bowls: you’ll need three different mixing bowls to make this cake. One for wet ingredients, one for dry, and an extra large one to make the eggs.
- Whisk: I like to use a large balloon whisk mix together both the dry and the wet ingredients.
- MEASURING CUPS and Measuring Spoons: standard measuring cups and spoons will help you get perfect measurements for your cake.
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer: you can use either to make the creamy cream cheese frosting.
- Microplane: I like to use this to zest a fresh lemon for the pound cake and the strawberry compote.
- Wire Rack: this comes in handy when you’re cooling the pound cake.
- Lemon Juicer: this is helpful to add lemon juice to the pound cake and compote
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to refrigerate sour cream pound cake?
No, you can store leftover pound cake without the strawberry compote at room temperature if preferred.
How long does leftover sour cream pound cake last?
Transferred to an airtight container, leftovers will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Store the compote in a separate airtight container for up to 1 week, and use it cold. Or, warm it up slightly before serving.
Can I freeze a homemade sour cream pound cake recipe?
Yes, you can freeze this cake for up to 3 months. To do so, slice it into pieces, wrap them individually with plastic wrap, and transfer them to a sealable bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw the cake in the fridge or at room temperature when you’re ready to serve.
You can also freeze cooled strawberry compote for up to 2-3 months. Just make sure to leave room at the top of your container, as it will expand as it freezes. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight.
Can I substitute sour cream in a pound cake recipe?
Yes, you can substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt, buttermilk, or plain yogurt. Keep in mind that each substitute may slightly change the texture or flavor of the cake.
How do I keep my sour cream pound cake moist?
To keep the cake moist, ensure you don’t overbake it. Check the cake with a toothpick or cake tester about 5-10 minutes before the recommended baking time is up. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Also, storing the cake in an airtight container helps retain its moisture.
Why is my pound cake soggy?
It’s possibly soggy because you let the pound cake cool in the bundt pan for too long. Be sure to transfer the cake to a wire rack to finish cooking after it’s cool enough to handle (about 2-3 minutes after removing it from the oven).
More Delicious Cake Recipes
- The Best Carrot Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Brown Butter Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe
- Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Oreo Cheesecake Recipe
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe
- Easy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Icing
- Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
I hope you love this Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe! It’s soft, sweet, and topped with the best fruity flavor. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.
Sour Cream Pound Cake with Strawberry Compote
Ingredients
Sour cream Pound Cake
- 3 cups cake flour measures and sifted (see note)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp lemon zest optional
- strawberry compote optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray, then dust it evenly with flour. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the unsalted butter and the granulated sugar on low speed for about 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the sour cream on low speed, just until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Stir in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and almond extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 6 large eggs until just combined.
- Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the eggs, mixing until fully incorporated and the batter is light and whipped. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan and tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake on the middle rack for 1 hour 10-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Every oven is different so start after you get to the 1 and 5 minutes mark, test your cake to see if it’s done. Don’t over bake or your cake will be a bit dry. If you are using a thermometer to check doneness, the internal temperature of the cake should read 210F.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 2 minutes. Then, carefully remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack. You don’t want the cake to sit too long in the cooking pan as it will get soggy and the crispy outer shell will be ruined.
- While your cake is cooling, make the strawberry compote. Place the quartered strawberries in a medium saucepan and heat to medium. Add sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon juice. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the juice of the compote just coats the back of the spoon, stirring frequently and scraping the sides with a rubber spatula. Remove from heat, set aside, and let cool.
- Let your cake completely cool before cutting and serving. This may take several hours, but it’ll be worth it! Serve with fresh berries, compote, and whipping cream.
Nutritional Information
Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan
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